LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
PARIS—In Edgar County, one of the longest-standing holiday customs is the annual Christmas Basket event organized by the Community Nurse and Welfare Association (CNWA), also known as the Community Nurse Association.
The tradition began as the brainchild of Ray Colson and Hazel Collier. They wanted a way to ensure everyone in Paris had the opportunity to have a Christmas meal. With the exception of three years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the tradition has been spreading holiday cheer for over a century.
For this year’s baskets, residents in the 61944 zip code who wish to receive the makings of a free holiday meal can submit an application to the Paris Township Office starting Dec. 2 to submit their names to the Paris Township office. Three hundred Christmas Baskets will be delivered on Dec. 21.
Generations of community members have contributed time and resources to help pack, deliver and support the initiative, and according to the CWNA, there are no plans to slow down or stop the program.
“We would like to continue for as long as possible and I think we have a community that fully supports that mission and continues to rally behind us,” Chairperson for the program Scott Barrett said.
The Christmas Basket process starts several months before the holiday season, with 300 empty boxes and a list of items to create a holiday meal.
Items for the baskets include mac-and-cheese, brownies, corn, green beans, fruit, jello mix, instant potatoes, a loaf of bread, butter, eggs, applesauce and ham. Items are primarily collected by local schools, community members and businesses.
Mike Morris, a member of CNWA, works at Carolyn Wenz Elementary School. He challenges his students to collect canned goods each year with a contest.
“They get rewarded with ice cream bars, just something simple,” he said. “Boy, are they competitive …The kids really do get involved; they collect cans, volunteer and even help with putting together the boxes.”
Local organizations like Horizon Health routinely purchase items like applesauce packets, buying in bulk and delivering them to the association.
“We do it each year … the hospital buys 300 packs of applesauce for the baskets,” said Erin Frank of Horizon Health. “It is really important to us to contribute and be involved.”
Other individuals and organizations write checks and give monetary gifts to the group as the delivery date approaches. Funds are put to work, and members of the organization purchase any missing items and all perishable items days before distribution.
“This stuff doesn’t just happen; it happens because people come together,” Tom Hebermehl, another group member, said.
Residents of Paris not only come together to gather items for boxes; they also work as the hands and feet of the operation. On Dec. 20, volunteers of all ages will assemble the boxes and transform them into baskets at Templeton Funeral Home. On the 21st, volunteers will start making the deliveries as early as 8 a.m., often using their own vehicles.
“No one has to sign up to be a volunteer; you just show up and pitch in what you can,” Barrett said.
The group said the experience benefits everyone in the community, not just those who receive a free holiday meal.
“To a great degree, this kicks off the Christmas season for a lot of people, helping and doing something good … It brings about a different attitude,” Hebermel said.
Other members commented that their favorite moments of the process are watching parents involve and teach their children during volunteer opportunities and seeing the flood of willing participants arrive and support the cause.
“The Paris community is very generous with their money and their time,” Morris said. “This would not be possible without their time, money or support.”
At its core, the Community Nurse Association’s mission is to ensure that residents—particularly the elderly and vulnerable—can remain comfortably in their homes with access to food. Its continued success relies heavily on the support of local volunteers and businesses.
Though individual volunteers play a crucial role, the event wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of local businesses and organizations. Companies like Templeton Funeral Home, Larson Woodyard, Henson LLP, Pearman Pharmacy, local schools and the Paris Township Office all contribute to the cause.
“We have a long history of being able to go out and feed the people in our community,” Barrett said in a previous interview. “For the volunteers and the donors, it is a couple hours of helping or just writing a check, but they need to know that donation and that volunteer time comes together and helps change someone’s holiday for the better. For so many, it’s the difference between having a Christmas meal and going hungry.”
The group also said that monetary donations are down this year. Food, money and time donations are needed to feed as many families as possible. Donations can be sent to the group’s treasurer, Morris, at 309 South Main Street, Apt. 301, Paris.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved, contact Barrett at 217-465-8458